


Spring Dawn

by rannadylin



Series: Behold the Sun (Idalia) [3]
Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Festivals, Gen, Holidays, Priests, Spring, dawn godlike, eothas - Freeform, gilded vale, orlans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-16 09:01:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21033692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rannadylin/pseuds/rannadylin
Summary: The trouble with all-night vigils on Idalia's god's holiest day of the year is the sleep deprivation and the way it makes a young priest-in-training relax her guard a bit. But perhaps when that earns her a new friend - not so much trouble after all.





	Spring Dawn

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Bazylia_de_Grean](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bazylia_de_Grean/gifts).

> Bazylia requested a late-night conversation for Dal among my Rannatober 2019 prompts!

Idalia was halfway through a yawn before she stifled it, but the acolyte standing vigil next to her on the balcony caught it nevertheless. She -- one of the folk, like most of the priests in Eothas’ temple, and about the same age as Idalia though it had taken her more years to get there and left her much taller than her orlan colleague -- made no effort to hide the yawn, releasing it with a loud sigh that drew the attention and censure of Brother Higbald passing nearby. The girl subsided, not without a wry glance at Idalia. When the older priest had moved on, she whispered to Idalia, “Don’t think I’ve slept a wink since Inprima started, have you?”

Mindful of the priests within earshot here in the courtyard, Idalia whispered back, even quieter, “It’s only  _ tonight  _ we have to stay awake till Spring Dawn, Weynid.”

“I know,” Weynid giggled, making the flame of her candle tremble, “but it’s all too exciting to sleep!”

Idalia’s ears twitched. “Is it?”

“Aren’t you excited?” Weynid glanced down at her. “I mean,  _ especially _ for you! I can’t imagine, being able to shine along with the Sun on the day of his rebirth!”

Idalia laughed, gently enough  _ not _ to shake her candle. Clearly it was Weynid’s first Spring Dawn since coming to serve in the temple, whereas she herself had been standing vigil on this night since she was old enough to stand and hold a candle without catching anything aflame. Even so, her companion’s excitement was as contagious as Idalia’s earlier yawn. Perhaps it was the sleep deprivation, even if she  _ had _ gotten somewhat more sleep the first two nights of Inprima than Weynid apparently did, that made her oblivious enough to the propriety of the vigil to continue the conversation. “That’s what we’re all doing with the candles, silly,” she grinned at the girl. Maybe that was what she liked best about this festival: all around the temple, indoors and even outdoors now that it was just warm enough to spend a night outdoors, priests and acolytes stood holding their candles throughout the night, encouraging Spring’s first Dawn to restore Eothas’ light to the world after the long winter. It was one of those moments when they all bore Eothas’ light, not just Idalia with her innate glow. She felt almost normal.

But that didn’t stop the rest of the temple inhabitants from seeing her as...well, Weynid at least would probably kindly call it  _ special.  _ “Well, if we have a genuine Child of Dawn in the temple, seems we oughta make your blessing a part of the ceremonies,” Weynid said, glancing around. “Don’t see Higbald around to object if you wanna brighten up the vigil a little more.”

“What?”

“Every bit of light counts, right?” Weynid nudged her. 

Idalia shook her head. “But that really isn’t part of the ceremonies. I don’t know…”

“Hey,” Weynid gave her a look of genuine esteem and approbation, though maybe that, too, was just how it looked through the sleep-deprivation filter. “Who’s gonna tell a Child of Dawn she can’t shine at a time like this, Dal? You’re a candle, too.”

Idalia pondered, staring down at the candle in her hands. Perhaps Weynid had a point. They were all here to greet the rising Sun with the light of their joy. The candle rituals were lovely, but only a faint reflection of the light they celebrated. Her candle’s flickering light slowly seemed to wane, outshone by the light Idalia began radiating from her fingers grasping it. And shortly thereafter, from her ears and face and every bit of her, making Weynid squeal with a glee that was as zealous as it was mischievous. Why not? thought Idalia. For once, she would greet her godly parent on his most holy day with all the light he had entrusted to her small form.

Weynid had been mostly right. The priests did not dare tell Idalia not to shine at a time like this. But in the next few weeks, as Gilded Vale gossiped, till Dal’s ears burned with an inner glow of embarrassment, about the miracle star shining from the temple that last night of Spring Dawn, they certainly did keep her busy with extra chores. She didn’t mind. Apart from that embarrassment of hearing the town talking about her, she still felt the warmth and joy of that moment throughout all the hard work, and she liked keeping busy with honest work, anyway. Plus, Weynid managed somehow to get herself assigned to most of the same shifts, keeping Idalia company in a shared penance. Though she was more careful now, once the late nights were past, not to overstep herself, Idalia found common ground more easily than she expected with the excitable folk girl -- and just as unexpected, she found a friend.


End file.
